LG to Build Its Own Processor, May Be Used in New G3

LG will begin making its own mobile processors as part of a new partnership with TSMC, a company spokesperson recently told The Korea Herald. A second, but unnamed source, told the news outlet that LG is aiming to begin mass producing the chips sometime this quarter. It’s unclear if the new chips will be available in time for the upcoming LG G3, but it appears that might be one consideration.

If LG does indeed build the chips this quarter, they could potentially be ready for the G3, which is reportedly on track to launch in July. The phone would no doubt help LG compete more directly with the newly released Samsung Galaxy S5. The S5, if you’re unfamiliar, is available internationally with Samsung’s own Exynos processor on board, though in markets like the U.S. it ships with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 processor. LG, which is apparently working on a similar business model, will reportedly aim to provide its own processors for mid-range and low-end Android smartphones, too.

LG announced the G Pro 2 earlier this year in February, but the 5.9-inch phablet didn’t garner as much attention as the LG G2. Now the phone maker is racing to release a new handset to make up for any lost momentum. If the company needs to get the G3 into stores as quickly as possible, it may be worth putting its own processor plans on hold and using the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chip instead, though an in-house CPU could help save LG on component costs in the long haul.